Legacy of Fire
by Spinosa
Summary: Sequel to Legacy of Ice. A time of peace has settled over the valley. But peace doesn't last forever, especially when nature is involved. Storms break out around the valley, and amongst the dry season comes the risk of fire. And fire has the possibility of destroying everything. Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Life for the Clans of the valley was good. A time of great peace had settled over the four Clans for the last three moons. Due to the efforts of Iceshadow and StreamClan, the threat of Nightfeather was gone.

Raincloud had become the deputy of MoonClan after Poppyfoot retired. She had gotten too old and exhausted to continue on her path. Her kits were now apprentices, strong and healthy as could be. Even Iceshadow had moved on, though the prospect of having kits was almost too much for her at the moment.

But the peace wouldn't last. As was usual in times of peace, there was darkness brewing in the valley. A darkness that no cat could escape….

A dark ginger tom with white paws suddenly erupted from the undergrowth, running as fast as his paws could carry him. Beside him was a gray and white tom, who looked equally as anxious. The night air was warm despite it being leafbare down in the valley.

StarClan's hunting grounds were always warm. Cats always had bellies that never got empty. And best of all they never aged. Yet they had wisdom beyond their years.

"Redstar, are you sure that this is right?" asked the gray and white tom.

"I'm afraid so, Berryfur," replied the dark ginger tom. His eyes glowed with determination as they bounded towards a stream that was illuminated with starlight. "When I had that vision I wanted to change it, but I am afraid that is impossible."

Berryfur shook his head fearfully when they stopped at the stream. Cats from every Clan now gathered around the stream. Redstar lifted his head slightly when he saw the former leaders of every Clan here.

"You all know why we are gathered here," he began. "A great time of darkness looms ahead for the Clans. And we must do what we can to protect them."

"What can we do to help them?" asked a black tom with unusually long whiskers.

"I won't let my Clan fall, not after all we have been through," added a dark ginger tom with green eyes.

"We will send them an omen," Redstar replied. "If anything, there are those who will be more than willing to listen to our warning."

The other cats around them murmured in reluctant agreement. Knowing that their Clans were in danger had left them feeling riled. Now that the threat of Silverstar and Nightfeather were gone, the Clans would have to face something all together more frightening.

_**MoonClan**_

**Leader:** Oakstar - a stern dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

**Deputy:** Raincloud - pale gray she-cat with amber eyes; cares deeply about her sibling and the Clan, mother of Sootpaw, Smokepaw and Shadowpaw

**Medicine Cat:** Bluelightning - gray-blue tom with white paws; likes to learn new things, curious about the world around him  
Apprentice: Wrenpaw

**Warriors:**

Cloverfang - a clever light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Willowflame - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes, likes to gossip about the latest news

Appleheart - dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes; careful about what trouble her siblings get into

Nettlepelt - spiky-furred gray tom with yellow eyes; defiant

Mousefang - pale brown tom with amber eyes; level-headed and good natured

Rowanfire - mottled ginger she-cat with green eyes; snippy and rude to those around her

Cinderfire - smoky gray she-cat with yellow eyes; confident in her fighting skills

Shadepelt - gray tabby tom with amber eyes; quiet, often keeps to himself

Goldenleaf - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes; acts like the leader of her siblings

Flaretail - white tom with flecks of ginger in his fur; brave and likes to argue with his sisters

Petalfur - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes; playful and energetic, she loves to get into trouble  
Apprentice: Hollypaw

Sunstep - golden tabby tom with amber eyes; calm and patient unlike his sister, he likes to listen rather than play games.

Owlflight - light brown tabby tom with flecks of ginger in his fur; has amber eyes; watches the apprentices as they practice their fighting moves, he wants to be just like the warriors.  
Apprentice: Smokepaw

Fogheart - gray and white tom with yellow eyes; Frostwing and Shadepelt's kit  
Apprentice: Whiskerpaw

Cloudfeather - pale gray she-cat with dark amber eyes.  
Apprentice: Sootpaw

Blazelight - light ginger tom with black paws.  
Apprentice: Shadowpaw

Stormstrike - black tom with amber eyes.

Foxshadow - dark ginger tom with green eyes.

Apprentices:

Whiskerpaw - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

Hollypaw - light ginger she-cat with amber eyes.

Wrenpaw - pale golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Sootpaw - smoky gray tom with amber eyes.

Smokepaw - dark gray and white tom with amber eyes.

Shadowpaw - black she-cat with amber eyes.

**Queens:**

Heatherbreeze - gray she-cat with blue eyes. Expecting Mousefang's kits.

Honeyfrost - golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Expecting Fogheart's kits.

**Elders:**

Poppyfoot - black she-cat with amber eyes; strong, yet caring towards her kits

Hazelfrost - tawny colored she-cat with green eyes; mate to Redstar; careful around her kits, treats them they are from another mother.

Featherstorm - patient but stern pale gray she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Raincloud and Bluelightning

Ashcloud - dark gray and lighter gray tom with amber eyes; gentle but quick to judge strangers.

**Kits:**

Twistkit - tortoiseshell gray she-cat with amber eyes.

Hedgekit - gray-brown tom with amber eyes.

_**FireClan**_

**Leader:** Flowerstar - dappled tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Pinefrost - dark gray tom with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Sunnytail - small white she-cat with pale flecks of ginger

**Warriors:**

Crispleaf - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Snowdrift - white she-cat with dark blue eyes

Cinderlight - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes

Rosestorm - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Darkfang - black and white tom with yellow eyes; son of Nightfeather

Stormheart - dark gray tom with yellow eyes; son of Nightfeather

Beetlewing - mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Owlsong - light brown she-cat with a white chest, paws and tail tip

Russetfoot - red-brown tabby tom

Blackfire- black tom with green eyes

Flamerose - black she-cat with dark ginger paws

Hollowsong - silver-dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

Smokefrost - dark gray she-cat with blue eyes

Dawnfire - pale brown she-cat with amber eyes and many scars

Mapleshine - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes

Littleblaze - small golden brown tabby tom

Falconwing - light brown tom with flecks of ginger in his fur

Graywhisker - gray and white tom with blue eyes.

Shrewfang - light gray tom with amber eyes.

Talonclaw - pale gray tom with amber eyes.

Shimmerpelt - silver and black dappled she-cat with amber eyes.

Burningfire - dark ginger tom with green eyes.

Tinderheart - ginger tom with white paws, chest and tail tip.

**Apprentices:**

None.

**Queens:**

Mapleshine - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Sweetkit, Rustkit and Fernkit by Blackfire

Elders:

Whitepelt - small brown tom with white patches of fur

Spidergaze - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**Kits:**

Sweetkit - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Rustkit - dark ginger tom with black paws and tail-tip

Fernkit - ginger and white she-cat with black-tipped ears

**_StreamClan_**

**Leader:** Bramblestar - cream and white she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy:** Dewspeck - mottled gray tom with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Beechnose - pale brown she-cat with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Pikepaw

**Warriors:**

Crowflight - black tom with yellow eyes

Runningstream - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Tallwhisker - long-legged gray tabby tom

Mosstail - pale gray she-cat with amber eyes

Blossomleaf - silver she-cat with green eyes

Duskstorm - black and white tom with amber eyes

Leafclaw - mottled ginger-brown tom with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Kitepaw

Leopardblaze - spotted ginger tom with amber eyes

Blazeleaf - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Salmonclaw - ginger tom with white paws and chest

Creekfeather - silver gray she-cat with amber eyes

Sleetfur - pale gray she-cat with streaks of black in her fur

Weaselfang - gray and black tom with amber eyes

Iceshadow - white she-cat flecked with silver, has piercing green eyes

Ivywing - light brown and silver spotted she-cat with green eyes

Swirlpelt - tortoiseshell gray she-cat with amber eyes

Lightningstrike - ginger and brown tom with amber eyes

Reedstorm - golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentices:**

Kitepaw - dark brown she-cat with green eyes

Pikepaw - light brown tom; has amber eyes

**Queens:**

Shellfur - ginger and white she-cat with amber eyes; expecting Leopardblaze's kits

**Elders:**

Brightflower - dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Scorchfoot - gray tom with darker paws

**Kits:**

None

_**SunClan**_

**Leader:** Kestrelstar - light brown tabby she-cat with streaks of ginger in her fur. Cares deeply for her Clan's safety, she is swift and sure-footed as well.

**Deputy:** Brooksong - dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Rabbitleap - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Warriors:**

Littleflower - small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Hot-headed and gets into arguments a lot.

Nightstorm - smoky gray tom with amber eyes. Arrogant and easy to anger, starts a fight without realizing it.

Stonepelt - dark gray tom with white paws. Powerful in battle and not very intelligent.

Sorrelfur - golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. One of the best hunters in the Clan due to her silent pawsteps and careful judgement.

Robinflight - ginger-brown she-cat with green eyes. Sister to Sorrelfur and more of a warrior than a hunter

Gingertail - pale ginger she-cat with a darker ginger tail  
Apprentice: Mintpaw

Umberclaw - pitch black tom with amber eyes

Toadspring - black tom with streaks of lighter fur

Risingstorm - black and white tom with amber eyes. Confident and skilled as a warrior, but sometimes lacks in his faith towards his Clanmates.

Echoflower - gray and white she-cat with yellow eyes. Quiet and unsure of her abilities, she often sticks to her own schedule.  
Apprentice: Wetpaw

Brooksong - dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Heathercloud - gray-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Grouseflight - gray, brown, and ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Grasspelt - pale ginger-gray tom with amber eyes.

Sparrowflight - light brown tom with amber eyes.

Whispersong - light gray she-cat with amber eyes

Featherwind - dark gray, almost black she-cat with amber eyes

Snowstep - black and gray tom with a single white paw

**Apprentices:**

Mintpaw - mottled she-cat with dark blue eyes

Wetpaw - black tom with blue eyes

**Queens:**

None

**Elders:**

Fernclaw - creamy brown she-cat with dark blue eyes. She is a former warrior and is often looked down upon because of this. Has a deep connection with StarClan.

**Kits:**

None

* * *

**AN: So this is the beginning of Legacy of Fire. Sort of a vague prologue, but I always say that's how they're meant to be :) Anywho, I'm aiming for at least 3 or 4 reviews before I post the first chapter. Again, this is a sequel. To understand it you may want to read the first three, or at least the first book to get a better idea of what's going on.**


	2. Chapter One

Chapter 1

She found it hard to believe that her kits were now apprentices. It only seemed like days ago when she had first learned that she was expecting kits. That had been the best news of her life. Until she learned who the father was. No cat knew the truth behind their father. And she preferred keeping it that way. After what had happened between Shadepelt and Frostwing, she was almost afraid of what StarClan had planned for her as punishment.

Raincloud shook her head at the thought and padded out of the warrior's den. A few moons had passed since Iceshadow had become a warrior in her Clan. Raincloud would always miss seeing her former apprentice with her siblings. But Iceshadow's heart belonged in StreamClan. Raincloud had learned that the hard way.

"I trust that you have set out the patrols already?" Oakstar's meow made her jump. Raincloud turned to see him watching her curiously.

"Of course," she replied with a nod. It had taken her some time to get used to forming patrols before she went to sleep. In fact she still couldn't get used to the fact that she was his deputy. How that had happened was beyond her comprehension. "I've doubled up border patrols along the SunClan border. Mousefang said that the scent was stronger than usual, just as a precaution."

"Good, I trust in your skills and his," Oakstar murmured thoughtfully. "The Clans have been at peace for so long. It is only a matter of time before that peace is shattered," he added in a grim voice.

Unease washed over Raincloud as she thought of what he said. She knew that he was right. As much as she hated to admit it, the Clans were always under constant threat. But she could still keep hoping that the fighting wouldn't happen anytime soon.

"I'm going to take out a hunting patrol," she meowed, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling. Something told her that there was more to what Oakstar had said. She didn't want to admit that she was worried.

_After everything we have been through, there is more to worry about_, she thought. She shook her head and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. To her surprise it was low. She had just made the hunting patrol up as an excuse to get away. But seeing it now made her realize she should take out a hunting patrol.

She flicked her tail at Foxshadow, a newer warrior. He was just cleaning his whiskers when he realized she was beckoning him towards her. The young tom looked around warily before padding forward, his whiskers quivering in anticipation.

"I want you to gather a hunting patrol and wait for me at the entrance," she instructed. "The fresh-kill pile needs to be restocked."

Foxshadow looked more than happy to comply with her order. He bounded off towards the warrior's den, leaving her behind in the process. Raincloud only rolled her eyes at the tom's enthusiasm. He always was a bit more enthusiastic than his siblings. Sadly Honeypaw had died during a bout of greencough last leafbare. Cloverfang, her mother, had been devastated by what happened. But she had also nursed Foxshadow and Stormstrike. In the end Cloverfang was proud of how far her kits had come.

She waited as patiently as she could near the entrance. It was just past sunrise, and already the birds were singing cheerfully. Raincloud often found herself gazing out into the forest, wondering what would happen next. Life was so precious now that she had kits of her own to worry about.

At last Foxshadow reappeared with two other cats behind him. Cinderfire and Flaretail looked at Raincloud in annoyance as she dipped her head. Cinderfire had become a good friend since Raincloud moved into the nursery. Flaretail on the other paw was always a bit of a hot-head. Though he wasn't nearly as bad as Rowanfire.

"Hopefully the prey will actually be running this morning," Cinderfire murmured as Raincloud led the way. Raincloud decided to go to her favorite hunting spot: The Silver Birch. There prey was plentiful, and of course she could see if the apprentices were there.

_I'm not spying on them_, she reminded herself. _I'm just making sure nothing has happened to them_.

"I can't wait to see how much prey we bring back," Foxshadow purred as they padded through the undergrowth. "Maybe I'll even bring back a squirrel or two."

"It would help if you kept your big mouth shut for a change," Flaretail snapped.

Foxshadow looked at Flaretail in disappointment. Raincloud stifled a purr of amusement at the two tom's argument. Flaretail did have a good point when it came to staying quiet. Prey wasn't just going to come running at their waiting paws.

Raincloud stopped midstep and opened her mouth to taste the air. Sure enough there was prey in the area. The ferns under her paws rustled as she dropped to a crouch and pinpointed where the prey was hiding. A mouse was hiding under a tree branch. Raincloud swiveled her ears towards the mouse until suddenly a dark gray blur lunged towards her. Raincloud let out a hiss of frustration when the mouse used the moment to slip away.

"Hi Smokepaw!" Foxshadow meowed in excitement.

"I surprised you, didn't I, mother?" Smokepaw purred as he let her go. Raincloud glared at him for a moment before her gaze softened. She flicked her tail over his ears playfully.

"Of course you did," she murmured. "Where's your mentor?" She looked around to see that no one was with him, and for a moment the annoyance she felt earlier returned. Smokepaw only sat back as if nothing was really wrong.

"Owlflight wanted to see how I would do on my own," he replied with a shrug. "And I proved him wrong! I found you all on my own!"

"You sure did," Raincloud purred. She looked up in time to see Owlflight standing there, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"I thought I told you to stay near the Silver Birch," he muttered crossly as he joined them.

Raincloud stifled the purr that was slowly rising. Owlflight might be good natured and patient, but not when it came to Smokepaw. He had never-ending energy and was always keeping the warrior on his paws.

"Sorry Owlflight, I couldn't resist sneaking up on the hunting patrol," Smokepaw boasted.

"Why don't you two join us, now that you've scared all the prey in the area away," Raincloud suggested. Smokepaw's tail sagged when he realized what he just did. But he didn't keep that disappointed look for long when Owlflight nodded in agreement.

The patrol carried on in silence. Well, as silent as it could be with one boisterous apprentice and a loud young warrior. Smokepaw and Foxshadow had already become good friends. Raincloud could see them getting into constant trouble once Smokepaw became a warrior.

In the end though Cinderfire was the only one who'd managed to catch anything. Raincloud's eyes narrowed in suspicion when she realized just how dry the undergrowth was. It felt crunchy under her paws, and she didn't like it.

"That's strange, I wonder where all the prey has gone?" Flaretail asked, breaking the uneasy silence.

"The ground is so dry, I'm willing to bet they went farther into StreamClan territory where there's more food," meowed Owlflight.

Worry clouded Raincloud's thoughts. She knew that he had a good point. If there wasn't any food here to support the prey, they would leave. MoonClan would either need to expand their territory or leave themselves. And Raincloud knew nothing good would come out of that.

* * *

**AN: Thank you Nova-Lioness for reviewing! It's appreciated :)**


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter 2

A few moons had passed since she had become a warrior. By now she had gotten used to her new position. And she loved it. Being part of this Clan meant everything to her. Especially since Sandstar had sadly passed away. When Bramblestar rose as leader he had to ensure that the Clan was safe and would survive throughout the following leafbare. Life had been difficult since Sandstar's passing, but they moved on eventually.

"Iceshadow, you're on the border patrol this sunhigh!" yowled Dewspeck. Of all the cats in the Clan, Bramblestar had to name him as deputy. Iceshadow couldn't really blame the leader though. Dewspeck was more reasonable and compassionate towards the Clan.

_And I still haven't gotten an apprentice_, she thought bitterly. Bramblestar didn't trust her entirely. Even after everything she had done for the Clan. She had ended Nightfeather's life and disbanded the rogues that threatened the Clan. And yet he didn't trust her because she was from another Clan.

She shook her head at the thought and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. To her surprise it was lower than usual. Dewspeck had sent out a hunting patrol earlier this morning. She wondered for a moment why they hadn't bothered restocking it.

"Hey Iceshadow." Creekfeather's purr drew her attention away from the fresh-kill pile. She turned to see the silver-gray she-cat looking at her in excitement. "So I guess we're on the same patrol together," she added as Iceshadow stood up.

"Did you go hunting earlier this morning?" Iceshadow couldn't help but ask as they headed for the camp's entrance. Creekfeather was her best friend. They had been friends since Iceshadow joined the Clan. And Iceshadow loved Creekfeather's perky attitude. She was never down, even when times seemed so dull.

Luckily for them Ivywing and Swirlpelt were joining them on the border patrol. Iceshadow wasn't really fond of Sleetfur, and she wasn't speaking to Weaselfang for obvious reasons. The rude tom had apologized for his behavior a moon ago, but she refused to speak to him as a friend. Ivywing and Swirlpelt weren't too bad to speak with. Though Ivywing had a temper almost as strong as Sleetfur's.

"No, but I heard that the patrol returned empty-pawed," Swirlpelt answered for Creekfeather. Iceshadow narrowed her eyes, realizing that something must have happened during that patrol. "They said that something's wrong with the territory."

"Nothing can be wrong with the territory," Ivywing scoffed. "What sort of mousebrained nonsense is that?"

"I don't know, but it is possible that something has happened to the prey," Iceshadow murmured thoughtfully.

Ivywing looked at her doubtfully as they padded through the sparse undergrowth. Even now Iceshadow could tell that the ground was drier than usual. The grass under her paws crunched and felt crisp like it would when frost covered it. And as she looked around she realized that she couldn't hear the streams that constantly ran through the territory.

_That's strange_, she thought to herself. The streams _never_ run out of water, according to the elders. It was unheard of.

"Oh come on Ivywing, you're always such a buzz kill," Creekfeather meowed as she bounced along. She then turned her gaze to Iceshadow. "So, how are things going between you and Weaselfang?" she suddenly added.

Iceshadow froze on the spot, her eyes widening and her ears flattening in embarrassment. All three she-cats stopped when they realized that she had stopped.

"Nothing is going on between us," she hissed, drawling out each syllable so that Creekfeather would understand. The silver she-cat simply smirked in amusement. "He is nothing more than a Clanmate, and he should consider himself lucky he is."

"Your response tells us otherwise," Swirlpelt purred. Iceshadow shot her a cold glare. There was no way in StarClan she could see herself becoming mates with that arrogant furball.

"Let's just drop the subject, shall we?" Ivywing meowed, noticing how awkward the situation was getting.

Silence followed as they patrolled the territory. Iceshadow was more than happy with the silence. But another more troubling thought had occurred. She couldn't pick up any traces of prey in the forest. The stream was already dried up in most parts.

By the time they reached the FireClan border, Iceshadow's fur was crawling with unease. She knew that something wasn't right the moment they reached the border. Ivywing and Swirlpelt were looking around uneasily as they tried to figure out what was wrong.

"We should go, now," Iceshadow growled. Creekfeather nodded in agreement, and they were about to turn and leave when something jumped out of the bushes. Iceshadow's eyes widened in horror when she saw the fox looming over them. Too late, Creekfeather noticed it as the fox lunged towards her. "Creekfeather!"

She screeched and jumped after the fox as it grabbed Creekfeather by the neck. The silver she-cat let out a shriek of terror as it shook her violently. Iceshadow wasted no time in trying to fight back, digging her claws across the fox's muzzle.

Swirlpelt and Ivywing didn't even move as the fox clamped it's jaw shut around Creekfeather. Iceshadow's heart nearly skipped a beat when blood pooled on the ground. Finally the two other she-cats darted forward and tried nipping at the fox's paws, trying to keep it distracted.

_StarClan, don't let her die_! Iceshadow begged. At last the fox had given up when it realized they were fighting back. Iceshadow grabbed hold of the fox's neck and bit down as hard as she could, tasting blood in her mouth. The fox let out a yelp of pain and threw her off. Iceshadow clenched her teeth when she hit a tree in the process. Once she had let go the fox disappeared back into the undergrowth, leaving a trail of blood with it.

"Iceshadow!" Swirlpelt yowled, bounding over to her. Ivywing was still at Creekfeather's side, but she refused to budge.

"I'm fine," Iceshadow replied, getting to her paws. Again her teeth grounded together in pain; she knew she was going to feel that in the morning. "Creekfeather…." Iceshadow bowed her head when she saw what the fox had done.

Creekfeather wasn't moving. Her fur was coated in blood, her head lolled to one side. Iceshadow's shoulders heaved with grief when she realized that Creekfeather was dead.

"Iceshadow…. I'm so sorry," Swirlpelt murmured. Iceshadow suddenly rounded on the young warrior, anger making her grief stronger.

"Sorry?" she demanded, her voice rising to a yowl. "All you and Ivywing did was sit there and do nothing!" Swirlpelt shrank under her glare, but Ivywing only glared back.

"We did help fight back!" Ivywing spat. "You can't just go around and blame us for something we didn't do."

Iceshadow bowed her head as she looked down at Creekfeather's body. There was nothing they could do. That fox had come out of nowhere, and Creekfeather happened to be in it's way. Even if she could have saved her friend, it would have meant risking her own life in the process.

...

The Clan watched in appalled horror when Creekfeather's body was dragged into camp. Sleetfur and Weaselfang were the first to approach them, and Sleetfur wasted no time in attacking Iceshadow.

"You heartless foxhearted coward!" she snarled as she pinned Iceshadow to the ground. "You let her die!" Sleetfur was ready to claw Iceshadow when she suddenly kicked the older she-cat square in the chest.

"Creekfeather was my best friend!" Iceshadow snapped. "I would never have let anything happen to her if I could have stopped it!"

Sleetfur looked like she was ready to argue when Bramblestar pulled her back.

"Enough of this," he hissed to them both. "This was not Iceshadow's fault… we must prepare a vigil for her."

Iceshadow bowed her head once again as the Clan prepared for vigil. She hadn't missed how skinny that fox was. When she wasn't in shock at the sight she realized that something had caused it to wander that far into the border.

She would never forget everything Creekfeather had done for her. Creekfeather was the one who had first greeted her when she joined the Clan. And they had been best friends ever since. She was always there when Iceshadow needed cheering up.

"We will miss you, Creekfeather," Runningstream, Creekfeather's mother, murmured.

_I will never forget you, Creekfeather_, Iceshadow thought as she touched her friend's fur with her muzzle. The Clan had lost a valuable friend, and Clanmate. Creekfeather's memory would live on forever.

* * *

**AN: Man, I'm updating left and right here. Sorry about that ^^ I did change the prologue around a bit, if you haven't noticed ;) And I bet no one was expecting that to happen this chapter!**

**Zarina El Tigre - Thank you! Yeah, it would be a bit confusing if you haven't read the rest of the series ^^**

**Amrosia Ice - XD I didn't mean to ;) My writing wasn't even as good as it has gotten back when the series first started.**


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Raincloud purred in amusement as she watched Hollypaw try to reach for the squirrel that had climbed up a tree. It was early in the morning, and she had decided to take out a hunting patrol. So far the prey was running well today, unlike a few days ago. Cinderfire and Petalfur had managed to catch a mouse and two shrews while they were out on their own.

"Stupid squirrel!" Hollypaw hissed in frustration. Fortunately she knew better than to climb the tree. Raincloud on the other paw, wasn't too put off by it's height.

It was like the squirrel was mocking them as Raincloud clawed her way up the tree. By the time she reached the branch the squirrel was on, it was too stunned to move. She reached out with one paw and knocked it off the branch, right into Hollypaw's waiting jaws.

"Since when did you turn into a squirrel?" Petalfur mewed in amusement when she joined them.

Raincloud wasted no time in climbing back down, digging her claws in so she didn't fall down. It was the first trick Redstar had taught her when she was an apprentice. And for a moment she wondered if he was proud of all of the achievements she had made lately.

_Maybe now isn't the best time to think about that_, she thought.

"I think this is more than enough for the day," she murmured after Hollypaw had dropped the squirrel at her paws. "We should head back."

That was when she picked up a familiar scent in the air. Her fur bristled with unease when she recognized it as FireClan's scent. They had been hunting a little close to the border, but not to much that they had crossed it.

"Looks to me like we have a couple of intruders," Cinderfire hissed, her claws unsheathing as she glared at a couple of cats in the undergrowth.

Narrowing her eyes, Raincloud shot Cinderfire a warning look and padded forward, careful not to step over the border. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked, recognizing Crispleaf and Stormheart.

"Flowerstar wanted to speak with you," Crispleaf meowed, her eyes darkening with what looked like fear. "Please, it's urgent."

For a moment Raincloud was hesitant to say anything. Then she turned to her Clanmates. Cinderfire's eyes were narrowed with suspicion, while Petalfur's head was tilted to one side with curiosity.

"Cinderfire, can you please go and warn Oakstar what's happening?" she asked, realizing that if Flowerstar couldn't come herself, then something was wrong.

Flowerstar was so much different from any other FireClan cat. She was usually compassionate about the warrior code and her Clanmates. Before back when Silverstar was leading the Clan, she had always been afraid of what lay in front of her.

She found it hard to believe that it had been so long ago since that battle against Silverstar. Life in the valley had gotten peaceful since then. But Raincloud was well aware that life was never what it seemed. Now things were different, especially with SunClan sharing a border right beside MoonClan and FireClan.

"Alright, I'll go," Cinderfire muttered crossly after giving it some thought. "But I know for a fact that Oakstar isn't going to like it." Her remark only made Raincloud roll her eyes.

Once she slipped away into the undergrowth, Raincloud turned back to the FireClan cats. It was only than that she noticed how thin they were. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized just how desperate they must be.

_Why aren't they finding any prey_? she wondered.

"Petalfur and Hollypaw can come with us," Raincloud suggested, giving Hollypaw one look as the apprentice's eyes widened in excitement. "After all, I was just an apprentice when I got to see another Clan's territory."

"Under normal circumstances, we would not allow that," Stormheart growled irritably. "But I don't suppose this is normal."

Raincloud shot him a sympathetic look, though she doubted these cats would thank her for it. FireClan cats were usually too proud and stubborn to ask for any help. She knew it must be serious if these cats were asking for it.

With that being said, she followed Crispleaf and Stormheart back into FireClan territory. Almost at once the undergrowth began to disappear, and Hollypaw was looking around frantically as she tried finding a place to hide.

"Don't bother, there isn't much undergrowth for you to hide in here," Crispleaf meowed over her shoulder as if she had read Hollypaw's thoughts.

"Is it true that you spent time with FireClan?" Hollypaw asked, trying to keep up with Raincloud.

"Yes, she did," Crispleaf answered for Raincloud, earning a look of annoyance.

_I can speak for myself_! she thought indignantly. She didn't dare say it out loud though.

"FireClan isn't much different from MoonClan," she reassured Hollypaw. "They're just grouchy most of the time because they don't get enough sleep." She could hear Stormheart stifling a mrrow of laughter at the comment, while Crispleaf only rolled her eyes.

"When do you sleep?" Hollypaw asked.

"Seriously? When did this turn into a game of questions?" Crispleaf demanded, her voice flat with annoyance.

Hollypaw fell silent after that, much to everyone's relief. It was close to sunhigh by the time they reached FireClan's camp. The camp itself was surrounded by tall grass and a few boulders that provided some shelter from the wind. Raincloud noticed that Flowerstar had guards posted on the boulders this time, and her fur bristled with unease.

Already Raincloud could make out the thin forms of cats as they entered the clearing. She wondered for a moment if it was always like this. Everyone was staring at them with hungry looking eyes. Hollypaw suddenly curled her tail as Petalfur picked up the squirrel Raincloud had caught earlier.

"Give the squirrel to them, they need it more than we do," Raincloud whispered. Petalfur was about to argue when she thought better of it.

"What's this for?" a silver and dark gray she-cat known as Hollowsong demanded when Petalfur dropped off the squirrel.

"Take it as a gift, from MoonClan," she replied, trying to keep her fur flat. Hollowsong's eyes narrowed with suspicion as she looked down at the squirrel.

"We don't need your prey!" Pinefrost hissed, glaring at the newcomers as he left what looked like the warrior's den.

"That's enough, Pinefrost." The FireClan deputy flinched when Flowerstar spoke up for the first time. Raincloud felt her shoulders sag in relief as she recognized the dappled tortoiseshell she-cat. Her relief was short-lived though when she saw just how thin Flowerstar was. "My apologies for their hostility... we have not had an easy leafbare," she murmured.

"But at the Gathering-" Flowerstar cut Petalfur off with a serious look.

"I only said what I said to keep the Clans off our backs," she snapped. "But it turns out that we need more help than I had expected."

A few cats stared at Flowerstar in disbelief when she said that. Raincloud tilted her head to one side, suddenly more anxious than ever to find out what was wrong. A Clan leader never gave such devastating news away, especially to strangers from another Clan.

"Maybe we should talk somewhere more private," Raincloud suggested, noticing the glares she and the other MoonClan cats were receiving.

"Yes, we can speak in my den," Flowerstar replied, suddenly realizing the tension that filled the air.

They wasted no time in heading for what looked like a hole in the ground. The hole was covered in leaves and moss, but as Flowerstar headed inside, she revealed it to be much bigger and roomier than Raincloud expected. She purred in amazement when she realized this den was much like the caves in MoonClan.

"Flowerstar, I don't know exactly what it is you expect me to do," Raincloud meowed once they were inside and away from those glares. "I'm the MoonClan deputy now, and I have my own Clan to worry about."

"I was hoping that as a friend, you could help me out," Flowerstar murmured, keeping her eyes on the ground. "We have long since been friends before I became leader, and you a deputy. Perhaps some of that friendship can rub off on the Clan."

Raincloud found herself feeling guilty when Flowerstar said that. It was true, they were still good friends. But she had to put her Clan above anyone else. She couldn't just go behind Oakstar's back and help Flowerstar. Not when her own Clanmates needed her.

"What is it that you need?" Raincloud asked, trying to keep her voice calm as she thought of all the trouble this would get her into.

"Our forest has become so dry that there is no prey around," Flowerstar explained. "I-I am afraid that if something is not done soon, we will all starve to death. Mapleshine's kits are barely five moons old, they should not be as thin as they are."

_If one Clan goes, the others will soon follow_, a small voice reminded Raincloud. She remembered what had almost happened to SunClan when they didn't get any help from the other Clans. The same thing couldn't happen again. History was bound to repeat itself.

"Alright, I'll see what we can do," she meowed after giving it some thought. Flowerstar's eyes brightened with the faintest spark of hope. "Maybe I can divide the prey between FireClan and MoonClan. I'm sure Oakstar won't be too happy, but he should be easy to reason with."

Flowerstar nodded and sighed in relief. "Thank you, I truly am grateful for your help," she purred. "The queens and elders must come first though, then the apprentices. I want to ensure that they have enough to eat."

Raincloud blinked in surprise when Flowerstar said that. She was willing to give up the own urge to feed for her Clanmates. She suddenly wondered if this was something Silverstar would have ever done. FireClan had certainly changed, in more ways than one.

* * *

**AN: So... it's king of been a month since I last updated this... I think by now most people have learned that my updates tend to be a bit slow. Sorry about that. But nonetheless, I will be posting and continue working on this story along with my others. I may just update Fireblazin' next since it's been so long for that as well. Then Sharpest Thorn shall be updated.**

**Lightclaw's Shadow - It's okay, it has been a long time since those stories were posted Oo And yeah, poor Creekfeather didn't deserve that kind of a death!**


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter 4

Two days had passed since Creekfeather's death. The Clan was still only just recovering after what had happened. Iceshadow especially found it difficult to move on after the loss of her best friend. She hardly spoke to anyone now, and she knew that Sleetstorm blamed her for her sister's death.

Was there anything that she could have done to save her? By the time the fox had reached Creekfeather, it was too late. Iceshadow could still hear that sickening crunch of bones, and that horrifying screech that followed. She still had nightmares about that day, and she knew they wouldn't go away anytime soon.

"Has anyone seen the streams lately?" Her ears perked forward at the sound of Mosstail's voice. The pale gray she-cat bounded forward and stepped in front of a large crowd, consisting of Runningstream, Duskstorm, Leopardblaze and Salmonclaw. Iceshadow sat in the back of the crowd, wondering just where Mosstail was getting with this.

"Yeah, I saw them this morning," Runningstream meowed. "They seem smaller than usual... almost like something is wrong with them."

"Well, it hasn't rained for quite some time," Duskstorm pointed out. "Perhaps that is all they need."

Iceshadow felt her heartbeat faster than usual. If the streams were starting to dry up, then the Clan was truly in trouble. They relied on the streams for fish and for water. What would they do when there was nothing to hunt or to drink?

"We'll be fine," Leopardblaze murmured, as if he had read her thoughts. "We've struggled through worse times."

She flinched as he pointed out one of the darkest times in Clan history. Technically he hadn't said anything, but she understood the reference. Silverstar was one of the cruelest leaders the Clans had known. She had taken away Sandstar's kits and threatened to kill them if he didn't comply. It was only thanks to Sandstar that Silverstar had been killed, with the help of Raincloud of course.

_How different would the Clans be if she was still around_? she wondered. She shuddered at the thought, realizing that she might not even be alive. HalfClan kits weren't exactly highly praised among the Clans.

"Iceshadow, can you take a hunting patrol down to the streams?" Dewspeck asked as he approached her. The StreamClan deputy seemed oblivious to all the talks going around the Clan. Iceshadow tilted her head to one side before nodding in agreement.

"Is there anyone in particular you want me to bring?" she asked cautiously. She wasn't in any hurry to patrol with Sleetstorm.

"Just bring whoever you want," he suggested. "It might be better if you choose cats you're close to."

Again she flinched when he singled her out once more. It wasn't very surprising - by now most cats had noticed that she was much quieter than usual. She shook her head at the thought and decided to go with the cats she had gotten close to over the past few moons, and that list wasn't very long.

"Blazeleaf, Reedstorm, wanna go hunting with me?" she asked after approaching the two she-cats. They had been chattering about something, though Iceshadow wasn't sure what that something was.

"Sure," replied Reedstorm as she stood up and stretched out her back. "It might be good to stretch out my muscles."

Relief washed over Iceshadow's shoulders when Blazeleaf nodded in agreement. The three of them padded off towards the stream where they usually hunted. Here it was easy to find water voles and minnows that were shared amongst Clanmates. But the closer they got, the more Iceshadow could see that Mosstail was right.

The streams weren't as swollen as they usually were. True, around greenleaf they usually didn't get so large. But even then they weren't this thin. By the time they reached their favorite hunting spot, the stream had turned into nothing but a trickle.

"The elders were right," Blazeleaf murmured thoughtfully.

"About what?" asked Iceshadow. She wondered if they had already predicted what would happen this greenleaf. It wouldn't surprise her if they did.

"They said the streams were dying up; the sun's been too warm for them not to," Blazeleaf explained with a shrug. "But that doesn't mean we won't find anything - I can already scent vole in the air."

Iceshadow didn't miss the worry in Reedstorm's eyes. As far as she knew, the streams had never dried up. She wondered what would happen if they did. The Clan would have to take on a different hunting tactic in order to survive.

The three of them split up into different areas. Iceshadow had taken to hunting in the reeds, while Blazeleaf took to hunting near the trees. Reedstorm found herself content with hunting in the thick undergrowth that grew along the stream's bank.

She found that Blazeleaf was right about the prey - there was still some in the area. Iceshadow just had to be careful about where she went. The reeds that grew around here were tall and thick, meaning they could rustle against the wind and alert the prey.

With careful pawsteps she managed to find a vole burrowing it's way into the moist ground. Iceshadow waited until the vole reemerged before pouncing. It was completely unaware of her presence, until suddenly it was too late. She caught the vole with ease and buried it nearby where she could remember it.

She didn't stop until she had caught at least two more voles, and a mouse. Her paws were full as she returned to the meeting place, where she saw Blazeleaf already waiting for her. Blazeleaf's eyes were gleaming with triumph as she held a squirrel between her paws.

"It looks like the two of you had better luck than I did," Reedstorm grumbled when she returned, empty-pawed. Iceshadow blinked at her sympathetically before nudging two of her voles towards her.

"You can take mine," she purred. Reedstorm looked at her gratefully and took them.

Once the three of them had returned, they saw camp was buzzing with activity. Iceshadow dropped her prey on the fresh-kill pile and saw what was going on. Leopardblaze was pacing outside the nursery, and she had already guessed that Shellfur's kits were on their way.

_It's about time the Clan had more kits_, she thought. Maybe she could actually mentor one of them when they became apprentices. She doubted it though. Bramblestar didn't trust her anymore than Sandstar had.

"I can't wait to see what the kits look like," meowed Swirlpelt.

The birth of any kit was good news for a Clan. But it also was a distraction to what had happened just two days ago. Iceshadow hadn't realized until now that the Clan seemed much more cheerful now.

"Imagine that, she wants kits of her own," Weaselfang muttered with a roll of his eyes.

Iceshadow stifled a purr of amusement. Even though they had a rough start together, Iceshadow had begun to accept Weaselfang as maybe more than just a friend. She would never admit that out loud though. Weaselfang tended to have a big head and attitude.

"Just two more to go!" Beechnose's yowl sounded from the nursery, as a wail of pain followed. Pikepaw immediately retreated from the nursery with a broken branch in his jaws.

_Looks like he'll need something sturdier_, she thought with amusement. It wasn't long before Pikepaw returned with another branch, this one looking a bit more sturdy. The light brown tabby apprentice wasted no time in ducking into the nursery.

He may have only been an apprentice for a moon now, but Pikepaw was showing signs of being a wise medicine cat. He always seemed to do as he was told, without question. But if he thought something wasn't right, he would argue with Beechnose. She wondered if that was how all medicine cats were.

"Two toms and two she-cats," Beechnose announced once things had finally quieted down.

Iceshadow's eyes widened in amazement at the announcement. Four kits! Something like that was almost unheard of in the Clans. She hoped all of the kits survived, for Shellfur's sake. But they would be quite a pawful when they got older.

"This is wonderful news for the Clan," Bramblestar purred as Leopardblaze barged into the nursery, nearly shoving Pikepaw out in the process. "The Clan can certainly use more kits during times like these."

She couldn't help but flinch once again as Bramblestar referred to Creekfeather. She wished that everyone would just drop the subject already. She missed her friend enough, but to have to be reminded that it was her fault Creekfeather died was even more heart-wrenching.

"Let's just hope they survive the upcoming weather," Iceshadow murmured out loud.

"Someone's sounding not so optimistic." Iceshadow flinched when she heard Weaselfang speak up. "I remember a time when you'd claw my ears off if I spoke to you." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his remark.

"Maybe that's because I've learned to keep them sheathed in camp," she growled under her breath.

"Or you've calmed down over the moons." Iceshadow could almost hear the smirk in his voice, and she wished she could claw his ears off. For now she kept her claws sheathed though, until they were one day outside of camp alone.

"Just remember, one day you won't be surrounded by witnesses," she hissed, ignoring the amused look he was giving her.

"I look forward to that day," he reassured her.

Iceshadow met his hard-leveled stare, and suddenly she her fur bristle with unease. She felt embarrassed by the way he was staring at her. If it had been any other tom she might have just ignored him. But to her Weaselfang wasn't just like any ordinary tom. He was Creekfeather's brother, and had always been a bit of a grouch. But that was what made him unique. And maybe that was why she had gotten to like him as more than just a Clanmate.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter 5

"And you just expect us to share our prey with them?" Oakstar narrowed his eyes when Raincloud returned with a story to tell him. The whole Clan had gathered to hear how FireClan was fairing. And the news she shared wasn't good.

"No, I don't expect you to," she muttered with a roll of her eyes. They had enough problems catching prey as it was! "But there has to be _something_ we can do to help them."

Oakstar didn't say anything for a moment. A hushed whisper fell upon the crowd when she said that. Raincloud felt her heart racing as she thought of what to say next. Flowerstar had personally asked her for help. No Clan leader ever did such a thing, not unless they were truly desperate.

"We have our own problems to deal with," Oakstar hissed. "As my deputy I expected better of you."

Raincloud flinched when he said that. She knew that as deputy she should have put her Clan above all else. But the urge to help other Clans came so naturally. When she was an apprentice she had helped save FireClan from the tyranny of Silverstar. Then she helped the others bring back SunClan from their old home to the valley.

"She just wants to play hero again," Rowanfire snickered. Other cats joined in her statement, causing Raincloud to glare coldly at her.

_Rowanfire's always been obnoxious, but this is ridiculous_! she thought bitterly. To make matters worse cats were actually _agreeing_ with her.

"No, we will not help FireClan," Oakstar decided after mulling over it for some time. "They can handle their own problems."

Anger surged within Raincloud as he turned away. This was exactly what had happened with SunClan! They had stayed behind in the forest because they were too stubborn to leave. They thought they could handle their own problems. But in the end it was their selfish desire to survive that had driven them away from the forest.

"Why don't you stop playing hero and actually do something useful, deputy," Rowanfire sneered once Oakstar was gone. "Or should I tell the Clan your little secret?"

"What secret?" Raincloud snapped. Her eyes were narrowed with hate as she glared at Rowanfire.

"That those kits are HalfClan kits."

Dread washed over Raincloud when Rowanfire said that. Her green eyes were sharp as she locked gazes with Raincloud. If it had been anyone else she would have clawed their ears off for making such a threat. But her kits' lives were at stake.

_But she could be talking about Shadepelt's kits_, she added silently.

"And just who are you talking about?" she demanded to confirm her fears.

"Yours of course." Rowanfire tossed her muzzle to one side in triumph. "It's obvious that the father isn't in this Clan. It doesn't take a genius to know."

Claws sliding out with outrage, Raincloud had to restrain herself from attacking Rowanfire than and there. How this arrogant mousebrain was related to someone as gentle and kind as Mousefang, she would never know. The two were nothing alike, and Mousefang got along with everyone unlike his sister.

"I'm ashamed to call you my Clanmate," she hissed under her breath.

"Yeah, well that makes two of us." Rowanfire smirked and turned away, lashing her tail across Raincloud's muzzle in the process.

Raincloud looked down at her paws shamefully once she was gone. She was not ashamed that her kits were HalfClan. They were strong and brave just like their father. She was more ashamed of the fact that Rowanfire would go to such lengths to cause her misery.

"You shouldn't let her get to you like that." Raincloud flinched when she heard Shadepelt's voice. She turned to see him standing nearby, eyes dark as he watched Rowanfire leave. "She tried using the same trick on me, but I wouldn't let her. If she thinks she's going to threaten me with my kits, she has another thing coming for her." His claws scraped against the ground as if to prove his point.

"How did she find out?" she wondered as Shadepelt sat down to join her.

"She has too many resources, and I'm sure she found out during the Gathering," he replied with a shrug. "Rowanfire's always been a foxheart, and she always will be."

She nodded in agreement to that. Shadepelt had no idea just how right he was about Rowanfire. For a while it had seemed as though Rowanfire finally calmed down in her age. But now she had to drop this bombshell and make things even worse.

Oakstar would strip her of her title as deputy if he found out. He might even name Rowanfire as a mentor and deputy for her successful discovery. Raincloud had no doubt in her mind that he would do such a thing.

...

She spent the rest of the evening with her kits. Sootpaw was bigger than his brother, Shadowpaw. But what Shadowpaw lacked in size he made up for in speed and intelligence. He'd make a great hunter if it wasn't for his lack of patience. And Smokepaw, there was no telling what she was capable of. She was a mixture of both Sootpaw and Shadowpaw. Her cunning nature would scare off most cats, but not Raincloud. She loved her kits, and would do anything to keep them safe.

"Mamma, when do you think Oakstar will give us our warrior names?" Sootpaw asked as he yawned and stretched over a stone slab. Raincloud stifled a purr at the sight as Shadowpaw swatted his paw away. Sootpaw grumbled in annoyance and staggered back to his paws.

"You aren't ready for them yet," she replied. "But you will be. Unless you continue disobeying your mentors." She looked at Shadowpaw while saying that. His ears flattened in embarrassment and he looked away.

"Blazelight was expecting me to take down something twice my size, I had to turn him down," Shadowpaw muttered in an accusing tone.

"Or you were just too lazy, like always," Smokepaw purred with laughter when Shadowpaw glared at her.

Amusement washed over Raincloud as she watched them argue. She remembered a time when she and Bluelightning would argue like this. Feathercloud would always get so angry with them for fighting. And Berryfur would make sure they were stopped before they got worse.

Her eyes darkened for a moment as she thought of her father. What would he say if he knew who the father of her kits was? She wondered if he would approve of her choice. It wouldn't surprise her if Berryfur turned away from her as well.

_I will not consider them mistakes_, she kept telling herself.

"Is something wrong?" Sootpaw looked at Raincloud warily, and she realized for a moment that she must have dazed off. She blinked and looked down at her kits before sighing.

"No, everything is fine," she replied. "Why don't you go to your nests, tomorrow's a big day for you."

They looked like they were ready to argue when Smokepaw nudged them towards the apprentice's den. Being the more sensible of the three, Smokepaw always acted like the leader. Raincloud held back another purr as she watched them disappear into the tunnel. Her kits would make fine warriors when the time came.

As she returned to her nest in the warrior's den, Raincloud noticed that everyone slept further away from Rowanfire. She held back a sigh of relief as she curled up in her nest. At least she wasn't the only one suffering from the arrogant cat's attitude.

...

The moment her eyes closed she knew that something was wrong. All around her she picked up the stench of fear that was almost overwhelming. The air seemed hot and thick as she opened her eyes to find herself in the forest.

Raincloud gasped when she saw how bare and dry the trees looked. The ground under her paws crunched as she moved to get away. The forest around her looked absolutely devastated by the drought. She had never seen such damage before. Even leafbare wasn't this bad.

Horrified by the sights that fell upon her, Raincloud started running. She didn't stop until she reached the edge of the border. From here she could see StreamClan's territory. But something was wrong. She could clearly see how dried out the streams were, and saw dead fish laying on the ground. The stench rolling off of them in waves made her nose wrinkle in disgust.

"What's happening to the valley?" she demanded, her voice rising above the blood roaring in her ears.

"This is what will happen if the Clans do not stand together." Raincloud's eyes widened when she heard that familiar voice. She whirled around in time to see Berryfur standing in front of her. The gray and white tom's eyes were bright with starlight as he looked calmly at her. "This forest faces devastation unlike anything we have ever seen," he went on, gazing across the barren landscape.

"But why? The valley has always provided everything we need," Raincloud whispered.

"No, not everything." Berryfur closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, Raincloud thought she was looking straight at her own reflection. "Something has happened that scared away the prey. Soon everyone will starve, and the forest itself will burn. You must leave this valley, and find a safer home."

Raincloud felt her chest heave with anxiety at the thought of leaving the valley. It was where she had grown up. It was her true and only home. But she wouldn't be stubborn like SunClan had been. If need be, she would leave with the rest of the Clans.

"A-Are you sure there's no other way to help the valley?" she asked.

"No. Only by leaving will you find peace."

She was ready to say something else when his body began to fade. Raincloud let out a hiss of frustration when she was left behind once again by her father. She hated what had happened to him. He should be alive and living in the elder's den with Feathercloud. Instead he resided in StarClan with Redstar and every other cat killed by Silverstar.

"I miss you!" she nearly yowled the words.

Raincloud hadn't realized until now just how much she missed her father. Seeing him again only made things worse. And now the valley was about to face it's worst enemy yet. She didn't know what to do, and the Clan wasn't likely to listen to her after what Rowanfire had said.

_StarClan give me strength_, she begged silently.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Iceshadow found it hard to breathe as she blinked her eyes open. She had been sleeping moments before when something woke her. A sound she had heard before in her distant memory. A screech, and the terrible sound of crunching bones. A shiver ran through her as she crept out of her nest, only to find the entire StreamClan camp ablaze.

She jumped at the sight as panic rippled through her. The terrified wails of her Clanmates surrounded her. In the back of her mind, something told Iceshadow that this was not real. Yet she couldn't shake off the eerie feeling of how much heat rose from the flames. Her fur felt as if it was on fire.

That was when Iceshadow noticed something odd about the flames. While she could feel their intense heat, she noticed someone was in them. Their pelt wasn't burnt like she expected. Instead, amber eyes stared into her piercing green eyes. Iceshadow's eyes widened as she recognized the silvery gray she-cat.

"Creekfeather?" she whispered, her voice barely audible in the roaring fire. Creekfeather looked up at the mention of her name. Hope surged within Iceshadow as she realized her friend was alive. Creekfeather had stepped out of the flames as if she was some kind of spirit. Her eyes were dark with sorrow as Creekfeather locked eyes with Iceshadow again. "Creekfeather... I wish there was more I could have done to save you," she went on, trying to sever their friendship. Creekfeather just shook her head as if the apology meant nothing.

"Iceshadow, you don't have to apologize," she reassured her. "What happened was fate... I'm more then willing to accept it. Especially if it means I can send you this dream." Iceshadow flinched at the amusement in Creekfeather's tone. She didn't find this whole scene funny, especially when she caught sight of an apprentice burned alive by the flames.

"Why send this dream to me?" Iceshadow demanded, her pelt bristling with unease. She'd had enough nightmares over the last few moons. She would have to live with this one for the rest of her life now.

"I would think the Savior of the Clans would know a thing or two about dreams," Creekfeather purred. Iceshadow stared at her in shock as Creekfeather began to fade. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure out the meaning before it's too late." With that, Creekfeather disappeared completely.

For a moment, Iceshadow didn't know what to say. The flames had disappeared as well, leaving behind a parched land. She could barely recognize StreamClan's territory. To make matters worse, the rivers had all but dried up. There was no prey left. The Clan would starve if they couldn't find anything.

She shook herself once she had woken up from that horrible dream. A few cats were still asleep in the den. Iceshadow held back a sigh as she crept out of the den, not wanting to wake anyone up. She needed time to think of what Creekfeather had said. Something told her that this was more than just an omen sent by StarClan. The fire had felt too real for it not to be. To make matters worse, cats were dying because of it.

As Iceshadow padded along the river's edge, she could see that it was bone dry. Her worry only got worse as she realized the others were right. It wouldn't be long before they were starving. Fish was StreamClan's main source of prey. If they disappeared, they would have to rely on squirrels or shrews who visited the river for water. Iceshadow found herself shivering at the thought. She had gotten used to the taste of fish, and preferred it even.

"Couldn't sleep?" Iceshadow nearly leaped out of her fur at the sound of Weaselfang's voice. She turned to look at him, not missing the wary look he was giving her.

"Honestly, no," she sighed, realizing that he wasn't there to make any nasty retorts. She still wasn't sure what to make of him. Weaselfang could be a jerk sometimes, but other times, he actually really did care for her. Maybe that was why she felt so uneasy around him. "Do you ever get the feeling that something really bad is going to happen? Like, something worse than what we've already experienced could happen?"

"Not usually," Weaselfang replied, looking a bit surprised by her response. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as they both gazed at what was left of the streams. They were reduced to little more than just a trickle, which left Iceshadow feeling more worried than ever. "But than again, I don't usually wake up in the middle of the night from some dream."

And there it was. Iceshadow narrowed her eyes, annoyed by the fact that Weaselfang had pretty much called her crazy. This wasn't the first time he would make such a suggestion, and it certainly wasn't the last. But she was tired of dealing with his constant mood-swings, and he didn't even seem to notice.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're an annoying furball?" she muttered under her breath, already leaving the area. She knew he would follow her anyways. Camp was just a few pawsteps away. The sun was starting to rise, and soon, everyone would be out and about.

"On more than one occasion, yes," he replied with a purr. "But that's what makes me interesting."

Iceshadow only rolled her eyes at that. Weaselfang certainly had a way of irritating her. She padded past what little prey was left on the fresh-kill pile, knowing full well that it would have to be restocked. Once she had found a spot where the sun would hit after rising, she rested in the clearing until some cat asked for her to join a patrol.

...

"Iceshadow, I want you, Crowflight and Blazeleaf to go on a border patrol. You can lead them," Dewspeck meowed as he spotted Iceshadow lounging out in the sun. Her ears pricked forward with surprise when he'd told her to lead the patrol. Most of the Clan didn't trust her enough to lead patrols, given her history.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to let me lead?" she asked quizzically. Dewspeck looked at her warily. She half-expected him to change his mind right than and there. But to her surprise, he only shook his head in amusement.

"This will be a good way to test whether you really know our territory or not," he told her. "It is also a good way to earn the trust of your Clanmates, whether they want to trust you or not," he added under his breath.

Iceshadow still felt uneasy with the idea of leading a patrol. She didn't get along very well with Crowflight, but Blazeleaf was at least tolerable. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that the two were already waiting for her at the camp's entrance.

She let out a sigh before following Dewspeck's advice. She knew that he was only looking out for her, hard to believe as it was. Dewspeck was a reasonable deputy, and one she could easily look up to. Blazeleaf looked at Iceshadow expectantly, while Crowflight rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe he's trusting you to lead the patrol," he grumbled under his breath.

"Don't be such a grump, Crowflight," Blazeleaf meowed, nudging him playfully. "Iceshadow's a good warrior, and one we can trust... right?"

"Yeah... something like that," she murmured thoughtfully.

_Does she really trust me that much_? she wondered as they headed towards the dry frowned at the thought, and wondered if these cats would ever truly accept her as a warrior of their Clan. After all, she had been part of MoonClan when she was a kit. But that was in the past, and something she would rather forget.

The border between StreamClan and FireClan had always provided lots of prey and shelter. But now, even after newleaf had passed, it seemed emptier than ever. Iceshadow could still remember hearing the constant stories of battles fought over the territory. When Silverstar was in power, she had taken over the riverbed and used it for hunting. But that all changed when she was overthrown by Raincloud and the rest of FireClan.

"It doesn't even seem like there's prey around here," Crowflight sighed as he checked the area and marked it. FireClan had recently passed by. Iceshadow could pick up their strong scent in the distance as a breeze picked up, carrying dust along with it. "I wish it would rain already; this dryness is going to ruin us."

"I wouldn't say that out loud," Iceshadow growled. Her eyes scanned a nearby bush that seemed to shudder with the wind. Than she realized with a start that they weren't alone.

"I thought I caught some strange cats." She recognized the voice of Crispleaf. Iceshadow had met the silver tabby once or twice before during Gatherings. She wasn't the friendliest of cats, and had a bite sharper than her words. But she rarely started fights unless there was a compelling reason. "What are you doing so close to the border?" she demanded as she emerged from the bush, along with three other FireClan warriors.

Iceshadow couldn't help but flinch as she recognized the bony outlines of Darkfang, Russetfoot and Flamerose. It was painfully obvious to see that they were starving. She exchanged a wary look with Blazeleaf. This could easily end up in a fight if Crispleaf chose to take what little prey was left in the dry riverbed.

"Look, we're not here to fight over borders," Iceshadow meowed as politely as she could. "We're just marking them, and then we'll be off."

"This riverbed belongs to us, doesn't it?" Flamerose asked as if she expected an outright answer.

Iceshadow resisted the urge to narrow her eyes in annoyance. "What use would a dry riverbed be for you?" she snapped, earning a look of surprise from Blazeleaf and Crowflight. "This place has no prey; it isn't worth fighting over."

"She's right," Darkfang muttered crossly. "We have enough problems to worry about anyways. We should go, before this gets ugly."

She didn't miss the cold look Crispleaf gave her. Iceshadow knew that this was far from over, and that these cats would be back. Luckily, Darkfang was wise enough to heed her warning. He gently led the patrol away from the border. The tension was still there, but once the FireClan cats were gone, Iceshadow felt a sense of relief.

The last thing she wanted was a fight in the middle of greenleaf. Prey was already scarce as it was. Defending useless territory seemed like a foolish idea.

"You did well," Blazeleaf whispered as they headed back to camp. "I thought for sure that Crispleaf would shred you."

"Well, she didn't," Iceshadow replied with a shake of her head. "We should still report to Bramblestar that they were there in the first place."

"That's your job," Crowflight retorted.

The StreamClan tom pushed his way past the two, ignoring the cold look Iceshadow gave him. She was fully aware of how he was itching for a fight to break out. She was just thankful that he held his tongue while Flamerose tried claiming the territory as FireClan.

Once they were back in camp, Iceshadow felt a sense of relief. She hated being put under the spotlight. After this patrol, she had a feeling that Dewspeck would never let her lead one again. At least, that was what she hoped for. She spotted said deputy speaking quietly to Bramblestar, whose head was hung low as they talked.

"Go on, tell them," Blazeleaf encouraged her with a nudge. Iceshadow glanced at Blazeleaf in disbelief. Was she really trying to be friendly, or was this just a ruse? With a sigh of frustration, Iceshadow cautiously approached the deputy and leader.

"... not sure what we are going to do with what little prey we have," she heard Bramblestar sigh. "Shellfur's kits are our first priority. Than we have to consider the elders and apprentices."

"Pikepaw is strong enough that he can take care of himself," Dewspeck reassured her. "I'm not sure about Kitepaw, though."

"True, but they are still the future of our Clan," Bramblestar murmured thoughtfully. She stopped after noticing they were no longer alone. Iceshadow flinched under her intense stare, and kept her eyes focused on Dewspeck.

"We spotted FireClan cats at the edge of the dry riverbed," she explained warily.

"Did they start a fight?" Bramblestar asked anxiously.

"No, but it came close to one," Iceshadow replied with a shake of her head. "Flamerose claimed that it was part of FireClan territory, but I managed to convince them that it isn't worth fighting over."

"That does not make their intrusion any better," Dewspeck muttered. "What were they doing so close to the border anyways?"

Iceshadow frowned as she thought back to how thin they were. It was most likely an act of desperation. She felt pity for the fact that they were nothing more than skin and bones. Darkfang especially looked thin, with his bony frame sticking out at all places.

"Whatever their reasons, at least it didn't end in a fight," Bramblestar sighed in relief. "Thank you, Iceshadow, for standing up for our territory."

A small sense of pride suddenly surged through Iceshadow. She couldn't help but purr at the realization that Bramblestar finally trusted her. And once again, she was reminded of the time when Silverstar had almost taken over StreamClan. It was only thanks to Raincloud and Flowerstar that Sandstar's kits were rescued in the first place.

Shaking her head at the thought, Iceshadow decided to get some rest after dealing with the heat all day. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone after that encounter. What she saw made her wonder if all the Clans were suffering. And all at once, she realized that the next Gathering couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

**AN: Alright, I've got some major explaining to do. First off, I apologize for jumping off the face of Earth for over a year. It shouldn't have happened, but it did. Honestly, I've had a severe case of writer's block for all of my stories. They are on hiatus as I try to figure out where to go with all of them. Updates will more than likely occur when I feel like updating. Again, I apologize for my lack of updates.**


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

Memories of her dream were still fresh in her mind. It felt like seasons ago when she had woken up from that nightmare. In reality, only three days had passed.

Now, Raincloud sat perched on a rocky boulder as she watched her kits practice their fighting moves. Sootpaw had become a skilled fighter, while Smokepaw and Shadowpaw were quickly catching up. Raincloud found it hard to believe they were growing up so fast. She missed the days when she would stay in the nursery and watch as they grew into apprentices. They were always so eager to learn about the caves and the territory surrounding MoonClan.

Raincloud thought back to how she used to be so curious about everything. She hadn't realized until then just how much the kits reminded her of herself. She couldn't help but purr at the thought. Now she knew how her mother felt when she and Bluelightning went off exploring.

"No, you have to keep your claws extended, otherwise it won't work," Blazelight sighed as he scolded Shadowpaw for making yet another mistake. Shadowpaw wasn't deterred by his rebuking as she tried again and again, until finally getting the move right. "That's much better, and doesn't it feel more natural to use your claws like that?"

"Yeah, it does," Shadowpaw beamed with pride. "Mamma, did you see what I could do?" she asked as she looked at her mother expectantly.

"I did," Raincloud purred in response. "You're almost as strong as Sootpaw, now."

Shadowpaw looked even happier at that praise. Once the apprentices were finished training, they returned to camp to clean out the elder's den. Raincloud found that Smokepaw was already helping out out with that task. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as her son worked his tail off to keep the elders happy.

_He really has his father's spirit_, she thought happily.

"Have you thought of who is going to the Gathering?" Raincloud's head tilted to one side when she caught Goldenleaf talking to Oakstar. The MoonClan leader had been busy working out how they would find extra prey in the area. He still had no idea that Raincloud was secretly hunting for FireClan as well, and she preferred to keep it that way.

"I've put a lot of thought in it, and the announcement will be made tonight," Oakstar replied before giving Raincloud a quick look. "How are the apprentices progressing?" he asked once Goldenleaf left. Raincloud didn't miss the look Goldenleaf gave her. She rolled her eyes at the sight before dipping her head respectfully to Oakfire.

"They're training is going wonderfully," she told him, forcing back a purr as she pictured Shadowpaw perfecting the move that Blazelight taught her. "Shadowpaw especially is proving to get better every day."

"That's good to hear," Oakstar sighed in relief. "I've been so caught up in making sure the Clan is well fed, that's impossible to keep track of the apprentices."

Raincloud nodded in understanding. She was fully aware of the fact that the whole Clan was working overtime to keep themselves well fed. Greenleaf seemed to bring the worst of everyone as prey became more scarce. Once again, she was reminded of the horrifying nightmare that her father had sent her. Should she tell him about it? Part of her thought it was important to keep such a dream secret, yet another part of her thought it would be best for Oakstar to know the Clans' fate.

_I need to put my Clan above all else_, she reminded herself as she joined Shadepelt and Flaretail by the warrior's den. She felt guilty for going behind her Clan's back and hunting for FireClan. Yet she also felt guilty for whatever was happening to FireClan.

Flowerstar was a close friend of hers. She couldn't let one Clan fall just because they were starving. Once again, she was reminded of a time when Silverstar ruled over the valley. She had tried taking over MoonClan when they refused. When that happened, she kidnapped Raincloud and tried using her as an ultimatum. Silverstar had tried using the same trick on StreamClan, only this time she had kidnapped Sandstar's kits. He was forced to submit to her rule, or she would have killed his kits without hesitation.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Rockmound for a Clan meeting!" Raincloud's ears perked forward at the sound of Oakstar's call.

Almost at once, everyone seemed to know exactly what this meeting was about. A sense of excitement and anxiety seemed to surge through everyone as they headed for the main cave where meetings were held. Oakstar himself stood at the top of a mound that was made of rocks and a slight hill. Raincloud could still remember climbing over the mound when she was a kit, and watching her own kits do the same thing.

"I can't wait to see if we're chosen to go," she heard Smokepaw whisper as he joined his littermates in the den. She held back a purr of amusement. This would be their first Gathering, and she was hoping they would go herself.

Attending a Gathering was something that every cat should experience. Raincloud remembered her first Gathering. It had been overwhelming, especially as she recalled all the different scents and sounds. She pictured all of the cats she had made, some who were still good friends of her, others who had become rivals.

"I have decided on who will be attending the Gathering tonight: Willowflame, Mousefang, Petalfur, Owlflight, Cloudfeather and Blazelight will attend," Oakstar announced as everyone watched him expectantly. "It has also come to my attention that there is rising tension between all four Clans, with the heat of greenleaf in place. I do not want anyone to start a fight, and if you do, you will answer directly to me."

A spark of unease suddenly pricked at Raincloud's shoulders. Oakstar's eyes had fallen upon her when he said that. She didn't want to think of what might happen if he thought she was the cause between these border skirmishes. If he thought she was, than maybe he had bees in his brain.

"Yes, we were all chosen to go!" Shadowpaw exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she joined Smokepaw and Sootpaw near the cave's entrance. Raincloud couldn't help but purr in amusement as she watched her kits.

_I'm glad they can go together_, she thought happily. There were hidden reasons behind her wishing they could attend. Raincloud's mind wandered back to the first time she had met their father. This would be the first time he could see them. She just hoped that he was as proud of them as she was.

"Raincloud, can you say hi to Iceshadow for me?" Shadepelt asked as he joined her. "It's been moons since I last saw her... I just want to make sure that she's safe."

"Of course, but do you think she'll be there tonight?" Raincloud tilted her head to one side as she thought of Iceshadow. The white and silver she-cat had always been a bit more distant towards MoonClan than her siblings. She had felt like an outcast when she discovered that her mother died giving birth to her.

"I'm sure she will," Shadepelt replied confidently. "Iceshadow is a strong warrior, like her mother. I have no doubt that by now, she has earned all of their trust and respect."

Raincloud shook her head doubtfully, but she would be more than willing to oblige nonetheless. She knew how important his kits were to him. Shadepelt thought he'd lost everything when Frostwing died. That all changed as he watched his kits grow into fine warriors of MoonClan and StreamClan.

With that said and done, everyone waited impatiently for Oakstar to leave. Raincloud wasn't surprised to find Bluelightning already sitting at the cave's entrance along with Featherstorm and Wrenpaw, his apprentice. She couldn't help but duck her head under her mother's piercing gaze.

Featherstorm had only retired to the elder's den a moon ago. She was still energetic enough to be considered a warrior, though. Raincloud was proud to call Featherstorm her mother, especially given how much they had all been through as a family.

Soon, the sun was beginning to set over the valley. Oakstar had already taken his place at the front of the group, while Raincloud lagged behind to ensure that everyone made it to the Gathering place safely. She suspected things were not going to go as planned.

With that thought in mind, Oakstar had started leading the group towards the Gathering area. The Ancient Oak was where Gatherings were held, under the starry sky surrounded by tall bushes and ferns. Raincloud could still remember her first Gathering as an apprentice.

Those days seemed so long ago. Yet it felt like they had just happened. A purr rose in her throat as she remembered how Shadepelt had told her about Flamerose and their first encounter. That had ended miserably when Silverstar was still in power. Flamerose had a meow worse than her bite, similar to Rowanfire.

"I can't wait to see what the Gathering is like," Sootpaw whispered to Shadowpaw and Smokepaw. "I wonder what FireClan warriors are like?"

"I heard they're nasty pieces of work," Smokepaw mewed under his breath, unaware that his mother was listening.

"Don't be mousebrained!" Hollypaw snapped as she joined in. "FireClan cats are just as nice as everyone else, if you know how to talk to them. Most of my friends are apprentices in the Clan... or _were_."

Raincloud restrained a purr at the looks Smokepaw and Sootpaw gave the older apprentice. Some things would never change. FireClan's reputation had spread throughout the other Clans like wildfire. It didn't surprise her that so many cats were afraid to meet them.

Soon, they passed the Silver Birch and arrived at the clearing where the Gatherings were held. Raincloud noticed with a start that SunClan was already there. Her heart swelled with hope as she wondered if Risingstorm would be there. It felt like moons since they last saw one another, since he had not been able to attend the last few Gatherings.

"Hi, Raincloud, it's good to see you again!" Heathercloud was the first to greet her as Oakstar led the way into the clearing. Raincloud nodded in agreement, a purr rising in her throat as she saw how sleek and healthy Heathercloud looked.

"And you," she replied. "How is the Clan doing?" Almost at once, Heathercloud's look of happiness was replaced with a look of worry. She glanced over her shoulder and finally let out a sigh of frustration, her whiskers and tail drooping.

"Not as well as we would like," she replied, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Kestrelstar is upset with the lack of prey we've been finding in our territory. She swears that StarClan is against us."

Unease crawled through Raincloud when she realized just how much faith Kestrelstar had lost over the moons. She remembered how Sootstar had blamed StarClan for letting SunClan suffer all those moons ago. It felt as if history was repeating itself.

"I saw FireClan wasn't in much better shape," she murmured thoughtfully. "I wonder if the other Clans are doing just as poorly."

"I don't know, but something needs to be done soon," Heathercloud meowed.

She left it at that and joined the rest of her Clanmates. That was when Raincloud saw one face in particular that made her heart flutter like a bird. His pelt was sleek and well groomed, and seemed to glow in the moonlight that surrounded the clearing.

"Raincloud," the black and white tom whispered as he emerged from the crowd of SunClan cats. "It feels like it's been moons."

"That's because it has been," she purred as they sat only tail-lengths from each other. The last thing she wanted was to make it obvious who she had feelings towards. Rowanfire was already suspicious enough; she didn't want the others to feel the same way. "How did you manage to attend this time?"

"I had to suck up to Kestrelstar," Risingstorm replied with a roll of his eyes. "Plus, my sister moved into the nursery a day ago. She's the one who usually goes in my place."

Raincloud's eyes widened in amazement at the realization that Echoflower was going to be a mother. She had often seen Echoflower spending time with a pitch black tom known as Umberclaw. It wouldn't surprise her if he was the father.

"It's good to see you again," she purred.

"And you," Risingstorm whispered, brushing his muzzle against hers just once. "... Are those our kits I see?" His eyes suddenly fell upon Sootpaw, Smokepaw and Shadowpaw. They were talking eagerly with a couple of SunClan apprentices known as Mintpaw and Wetpaw.

"Yes... they've grown up so fast, it's hard to believe that they're apprentices already," she replied. "Shadowpaw has your spirit."

"Sootpaw has your pelt color," Risingstorm purred in amusement at the sight. "I wish I could have been there when they were born."

"You know that isn't possible," she reminded him, feeling that familiar pang in her chest. She suddenly wished they were from the same Clan, and understood how Shadepelt felt after all those moons ago. "We need to move on with our lives... I'm the Clan deputy, and I need to put my Clan first."

Risingstorm was clearly not happy with that idea. He scowled and looked down at his paws.

"I wish there was a way past that stupid code... it doesn't make sense," he grumbled crossly.

She brushed her tail gently across his ear, wishing desperately that there was a way past this herself. "I'm sorry," she sighed after standing up. "But this is how we must live our lives."

She could feel Risingstorm's gaze boring into her as she joined the rest of her Clanmates. Raincloud refused to make eye contact with him, knowing that would only make her feel worse. A heavy lump formed in the back of her throat as she realized how risky this was.

_We can't keep doing this_, she thought bitterly. _Forbidden love always ends in tragedy_.


End file.
